Thread: Ignition 101
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  #10   IP: 172.12.21.109
Old 12-05-2013, 12:04 PM
thatch thatch is online now
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Just so that there is no misunderstanding, the addition of electronic ignition does "not" negate the need for accurate ignition timing. Of all of the A4's areas of "tuning speculation", ignition timing is at or near the top of the list, and for good reason. The practice of setting the timing "by ear" was brought on primerilly because of the extremely poor timing marks that Universal supplied on this engine. Add to that the fact that, in some installations like a Catalina 30, the factory marks are almost impossible to see. The main "potential" problem with "tuning by ear" or "power tuning", as I see it, is that we run the risk of putting the
"firing position" at or very near the detonation point. For the "engine" guys in the group, you will most likely agree that detonation will kill an engine faster than just about anything. Universal's rather conservative timing marks were established to accomodate a wide range of fuel octane ratings. If, for instance, you were to buy a tankful of "the good stuff", and then do your timing, things would probably be okay until you switched to a "lesser quality" gas sometime down the road. At this point, what was an acceptable
tune-up, now becomes a potentially "detonating" one.
Tom
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